Fountain pen identifying device



May 2, 1939. E. ZIMMER ,FOUNTAIN PEN IDENTIFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 27, 1936 INVENTORI 1% ORNi-IY Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES FOUNTAIN PEN IDENTIFYING DEVICE Edward Zimmer, Newark, N. J assignor to David Kahn, Inc., North Bergen, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 27, 1936, Serial No. 112,947

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an identification device for fountain pens or other articles, and more particularly to means for applying to the article the monogram or initials of the owner.

The invention is especially intended to facilitate the application of the desired monogram or initials to the article by the sales person so that the necessity for returning the article to the .manufacturer for the purpose of applying the identification device may be obviated.

One object of the invention is to provide an identification device of the general character tiescribed embodying novel and improved features of construction, a portion of which may be permanently applied to the article by the manufacturer while the other portions may be supplied separately by the manufacturer to the dealer and can be interchangeably applied to the article in accordance with the desire of the purchaser.

Other. objects are to provide such a device which shall include a base or supporting plate to be permanently applied to the article, and a plurality of interchangeable inscription or legend carrying plates which can be applied to and removed from the base plate to conform to the initials, monogram or, other design desired by the purchaser; to provide a device of "this character which shall be simple and inexpensive and wherein the interchangeable inscription carrying plates can be easily and quickly applied to the base plate by a relatively unskilled person; and to obtain other advantages and results as will be brought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which corresponding and like parts are designated throughout the several views by the same reference characters,

Figure l is a side elevation" of a fountain pen having an identification device embodying my invention applied thereto.

- Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the identification device and the corresponding portion of the fountain pen, taken on the line i 2- 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detached perspective View of one of the inscription carrying plates.

Figure A is a fragmentary sectional view through a modified form of the invention, showing the inscription carrying plate detached from the base plate.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the manner of attaching the inscription carrying plate to the base plate,. ,and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the identification device combined with a fountain pen clip.

Specifically describing the invention the reference characters A and B designate respectively the barrel and cap of a fountain pen of known 5 construction. A metal base plate or band I is shown as secured to the cap B in the usual way, the cap having a circumferential groove 2 in which the band is tightly pressed so that the surfaceof the band is flush with the surface of the cap. A second circumferential groove 3 is formed in the cap at the base and adjacent one end of the groove 2. 7

The band I has a slot or opening 4 to receive separable inscription or legend carrying plates 5, one edge of the slot being disposed intermediate the width or between the sides of the groove 3 so as to overlie the groove. Preferably these inscription carrying plates are identical with each other except that they may bear different inscriptions, for example different letters of the alphabet; and each plate consists of a sheet of preferably the same metal as the band I and of the same thickness. At one end of each plate is an oifset tongue 6 to he slipped into the circumferential groove 3 and beneath the portions of the band 2 which overlie said groove at the corresponding edge of the slot 4.

The groove 3 is of a depth approximately corresponding to the thickness of the tongues 6 and is of a width somewhat greater than the length of said tongues, and in applying the inscription carrying plates 5 to the base band I, the tongue 6 of each plate is slipped into the groove 3 as shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 2, after which the plate is pressed toward the band and the tongue is simultaneously pushed beneath the portion of the band overlying the groove until the end of the plate 5 opposite the tongue is forced into abutting relation with the corresponding edge of the slot 4' as indicated at l. Preferably the tongues 6 snugly wedge between the bottom of the groove 3 and the band I so as to hold the plates 5 tightly against the base of groove 2; and if desired the tongues may be slightly inclined so as to flex when inserted beneath the band and thereby compensate for variations in the distance between the bottom of groove 3 and the overlying portions of the band I. The identifying plate is thereby firmly attached to the article and can be removed only by prying the inscription carrying plate out of the slot as by inserting a thin-edged tool between the end of the plate and the corresponding edge of the slot 4.

The width of the inscription carrying plates 5 preferably will be such that the desired number may be inserted side-by-side in the slot 4 so as to completely close the slot, and when the plates are in position their surfaces preferably will be flush with the surface of the band and substantially continuous therewith as shown in Figure 1.

A modification of the invention is shown in Figure 4 where the base band 8 is secured in a groove 9 in the article corresponding to the groove 2, and the slot H] for the inscription carrying plates has undercut edges II to cooperate with beveled edges [2 on the legend carrying plates l3. The plates l3 preferably are of ductile material and are initially longitudinally curved and shortened so that their edges will easily slip through the slot ID as shown in Figure 4, and after the plates have been placed in the slot, they may be pressed as shown in Figure dso as to straighten them and force the beveled edges 12 beneath and in abutting engagement with the undercut edges ll. of the slot. Thereupon the plates will be firmly attached to thebase band 8 and the article.

In Figure 6 of the. drawing I have shown the identification device in conjunction with a fountain pen clip, the device including a band l4 corresponding to the band i which has a clip 15 integral or otherwise fixedly connected thereto. Inscription carrying plates 16 may be secured to the band I4 in any suitable manner, for example as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

Other ways of connecting the inscription carrylng plates to the base plate or band, and other modifications and changes in the details of structure will occur to those skilled in the art as within the spirit and scope of the invention. Obviously the invention may be applied to any desired article as well as fountain pens, and the base plate be either a band as shown, or a flat plate, and its configuration may be modified as desired.

Also, while I have shown the circumferential groove 3 as extending entirely around the article it is necessary only that the groove be coextensive in length with the slot 4, the groove simply providing a clearance and seat for the tongues 6 of the inscription carrying plates. Moreover, the base plate or band need not be seated in the groove but might be otherwise secured to the article.

It will be observed that the slot in the band and the groove in the article in effect form a recess or opening in the article at least one edge of which is undercut, and at least one end of the legend bearing plate is secured beneath said undercut edge.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with an article having a recess with a groove in its bottom adjacent one side thereof, a base plate seated in said recess and having a slot with one edge overlying and disposed between the sides of said groove, and a legend bearing plate fitted in said slot and having an offset tongue snugly inserted between the bottom of said groove and the portion of said base plate overlying the groove.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a fountain pen or the like having a circumferential groove, a metal band surrounding said fountain pen and having a slot one edge of which overlies said groove, and a legend bearing plate-fitted in said slot and having an integral offset tongue snugly fitted between the bottom of said groove and said band.

3. The combination of a fountain pen or the like having a circumferential groove and a second circumferential groove in the bottom of the first groove adjacent one side thereof, a band seated in the first groove and having an opening therethrough with one edge thereof overlying the second groove, and a legend bearing plate fitted in said opening and having an integral olfset tongue at one end snugly fitted between the bottom of the secondgroove and the portion of said band overlying said groove to hold said plate in said opening and seated on the bottom of the first groove, the other end of said plate abutting the corresponding side of said opening.

4. The combination with an article having a groove, a base plate secured to the article and having a slot with one edge overlying and disposed between the sides of said groove, and a legend bearing plate fitted in said slot and having an offset tongue snugly inserted between the bottom of said groove and the portion of said base plate overlying the groove.

EDWARD ZIMZMER'. 

